The Liberation War
The Furnace is Lit The Tinder In 2877 discontent among the indigenous people of Randul as well as immigrant races began to boil over, sparking protests and workers strikes across the country. Relations between the Hurian and Randulan races began to break down, orcs in particular facing increasing discrimination as the year drew to a close. Blood was first shed when a group of scholars researching possible surviving members of the Randulan royal line were put to death for treason but the war did not begin for another week. In the week following the executions growing civil unrest caused the city of Vrudrille to be placed under martial law with the 38th imperial infantry brought in to restore order supported by the 94th cavalry. Initially the military presence restored some semblance of order in the city, some citizens continued to protest however and a march was organized, beginning at the gallows where the scholars had been left as a gruesome example and ending at the manor of the local lord. Moved by the example of their peers more and more citizens joined the march as it progressed, primarily humans as they made up the bulk of the local population but also halflings, gnomes, elf and dwarf sympathizers and the few orcs and goblins living within the city limits. The Spark As the protesters reached the manor grounds they were blocked by the occupying military force as well as a sizeable detachment of the city guard. Insults were hurled at the guards and soldiers, soon followed by rotting vegetables and animal dung. Altador Nylian, lord of Vrudrille soon emerged from his manor clad in his family's ancestral armor and carrying the ceremonial sword of his office, ordering the protesters to disperse to no avail. Enraged by this display of defiance towards his authority both as lord of the town and as one of the governing races lord Nylian demanded that the soldiers drive the protesters away from his home, with lethal force if necessary. The Flame Ignites The responses to Nylian's demand were mixed, a roar of outrage was heard from the protesters as the city guard (well used to obeying Nylian's orders) drew their weapons and advanced, backed by the hesitant 38th. It was then that major Reinfred Seamour, commander of the 94th cavalry, gave the most important order of his career; ordering his troops to arrest the city guard and any soldier attacking the assembled civilians. The majority of the city guard were either killed or beaten senseless as they tried to carry out their lord's orders, Major Doran Grandhammer of the 38th (senior by several decades to Seamour) was relieved of command by her battalion and put in irons. Infuriated by the disobedience of his perceived subordinates Lord Nylian attempted to lead by example, charging into the mass of protesters and laying about himself with his sword. By the time the city guard had been dealt with and Nylian could be subdued he had killed two human men and an orc woman, as well as wounding several others. It is said that Reinfred Seamour personally dragged him bellowing and raging to the gallows and beheaded him in the sight of the scholars for his crimes (crimes for which, as a member of the elven aristocracy, Nylian was protected from punishment). In the days following the execution Seamour commandeered Lord Nylian's palace as a base of operations and formally declared his defection from the Hurian military to the newly formed Randulan uprising. Fuel is Burned Fire Spreads News of Major Seamour's fledgeling rebellion traveled fast, and the events at Vrudrille repeated themselves across dozens of smaller towns and encampments over the next few weeks as loyalist officers were captured or executed by their own troops. The military might of the uprising grew rapidly in those early days with turncoat imperials and civilian volunteers steadily pouring in. As the highest ranking defector and the instigator of this rebellion Seamour remained in command of the steadily expanding rebellion, he wasted no time in training those volunteers he deemed fit for service and fortifying Vrudrille against a Hurian counterattack. It is unclear whether it was contempt for what they saw as 'lesser' races, deliberate misinformation fed to them by the rebellion or simply poor intelligence gathering that led the Hurian army to underestimate Major Seamour's forces. Whatever the reason, the initial detachment sent to quell the Randulan uprising was only a small portion of the forces stationed in Randul at the time. Much of the empire's strength was instead spread across Randul, concentrating primarily in the western region, particularly around the capital city of Apaeron. Comprised primarily of green troops commanded by young officers with little experience and a thirst for glory the seige of Vrudrille broke against the staunch defenses of the rebellion and were routed with heavy casualties. = The Crucible Galvanized by their victory at Vrudrille, Seamour's forces began to push outwards across Randul. The nearest imperial strongholds - depleted of food and soldiers by the first ill fated attempt to end the rebellion - offered little resistance, more than one stronghold deserted or outright defected rather than face siege. Only one fort lasted more than a month, and Sarsinghurst was soon declared strategically insignificant by the rebellion and the siege largely abandoned. As the rebellion spread further west Seamour began to encounter greater resistance. Fully manned strongholds sapped the rebel's resources, numbers and morale. News also reached the rebellion that the Hurian army was massing another force to stop them. Rumors also began to surface that the Hurians were bribing or press ganging monstrous races into service, promising them they could do what they wished with any prisoners. The Ore Facing unfavorable odds Major Seamour's forces began hiring mercenaries to bolster their own ranks. Enthralled by the prospect of unchecked looting many of the mercenaries undertook dangerous guerilla actions completely unsupported. Using these irregulars the rebels seized large amounts of enemy resources and took several more fortified locations. More mercenaries flocked to join the uprising, now calling itself the army of the risen king. And while many met grisly ends, others began to make a name for themselves. Most notably a small band known as the wayward blades, commanded by sergeant Crump and having recently recruited privates Bushybeard and Milo. The true value of these irregulars was made clear at the battle of the Burmstone canyons, a small but decisive battle between minor detachments from the main Hurian and Randulan armies to the north. At the foot of mount Sandorne, Bushybeard led the orcish reinforcements to break the Hurian lines and Milo personally slew the Hurian captain Elkas Spiritforged. Meanwhile Sergeant Crump successfully foiled a surprise attack from the rear by a detachment of ogres, saving the life of Randulan captain Arlen Here and earning a field commission as a lieutenant. Heroes are Forged Heating Soon after the battle of Burmstone canyon the recently promoted colonel Seamour found himself in a standoff with major general Gulf Coldcrest in the plains north of mount Sandorne. As the weeks dragged on the Randulan forces took considerable losses from Hurian raids, particularly from flights of giant eagles as they were able to attack anywhere and withdraw before a serious counter attack could be mounted. Faced with falling morale and a battle of attrition he could not win colonel Seamour ordered small groups of his most capable soldiers to form pickets ahead of the main force. These brave groups of volunteers acted as early warning systems and bait for the raiders. They proved effective in shielding the bulk of the Randulan forces although they sustained heavy casualties. The stalemate came to an abrupt end when specialists Bushybeard and Milo returned from a reconnaissance mission to report that he had struck at a target of opportunity. Throwing the Hurian camp into disarray and killing the aasimar responsible for coordinating the eagles. Despite having ridden through the night to deliver this news both specialists went on to join the attack against the Hurian forces, overrunning Coldcrest's rearguard and allowing Seamour to turn the Hurian retreat into a rout. In keeping with his policy of promoting officers based on merit rather than race or bloodline colonel Seamour granted Bushyneard a field commission as a lieutenant. Shaping Seamour's forces continued to harry Coldcrest's army as they fled east, inflicting heavy casualties. Only Coldcrest's iron fisted leadership and the fanatical sermons of major Ulgos Spiritforged prevented mass desertion. As the Hurians fled further east towards Apareon they turned in desperation to ever more underhanded tactics. Ogres and were set loose to ambush Randulan scouts and make gristly examples of them, often leaving several soldiers alive but maimed so that the pursuing army would have to slow down or split its forces to care for them. Hurian Mages began animating the dead in their wake, leaving uncontrolled zombies and skeletons to delay their enemy, or simply wander off into the countryside to prey on civilians for years to come. Once again Seamour relied on his irregulars to foil the Hurians' foul plans. Accustomed to unconventional fighting the mercenaries and adventures took on the role of clearing the way for the army of the risen king. Paladins and clerics made short work of the disorganized undead and grizzled monster hunters fought bravely to bring down the ogres and giants in the army's path. One mercenary, Bolphungar the unrelenting, was reported to have slain more of these foul creatures singlehandedly than any full party of hunters.